Xi'an Famous Foods Restaurant Review

: After foodies and food bloggers discovered Xi’an Famous Foods in a food court in Flushing, Queens, a mini empire was launched. Now with takeout counters in the East Village and Chinatown, the next outpost is this 40-seat eatery, also in Chinatown. The floor is littered with receipts; the service is sometimes a bit brusque if you don’t order the way they prefer (ordering takes place at the counter, and then you pick up your food when called); and using the word “décor” in describing the place would be an exaggeration. But all of this is part of the charm. Plus, it’s really all about the food. The famous lamb burger is a lamb patty mixed with cumin and peppers and placed in a Chinese-style bun---it’s worth every penny. Though the lamb offal soup’s broth isn’t particularly flavorful, it’s saved by the other ingredients, the parts of the animal that if you grew up in America were told never to eat. There are also variations on the theme of spicy noodles and oodles and oodles more lamb dishes.